Ball stop for bowling alleys



Get-'7 1924.

" Y .A. R. THOMPSGN 1 BALL STOP FbR owmne ALLEY$ Filed April 19.1920

. INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Got. '7, 1924.

U N I .AKSEL n. THOMPSON, or NEWYYORK, N. Y., AssrGNon TO THEBRUNSWICK-BALKE- COLLENDER COMPANY, on WILMINGTON, DELAVJARE, A'COB-PORATIQN or DELA- WARE.

BALL STOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS.

Application filed April 19,1920. Serial No. 374,807.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AKsEL R. THOMPSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing .at New York city, in thecounty of New -)tork and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Ball Stops for Bowling Alleys, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In the game of bowling there are many times when it is desired to playwith a limited number of balls and to keep them separate from the usualsupply on the rack. This is almost universally the case in match gamesand in tournaments when the players F roll their own balls.

The object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable devicewhich is adapted to be secured on the ball rack to stop the balls at anydesired position when they are returned by the ball return to the rack.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing a selected embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the end portion of one type of ball returnshowing my invention in full lines in one position on the ball rack andin broken lines in another position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the rack showing the stopin elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 4 is the ball return and 5 is the ball rackcomprising the rails 5 suitably spaced apart to form a support for theballs of different sizes which may be used on the bowling alley.

The stop 6 may consist of a substantial block shaped to fit snugly uponand between the rails 5 and of sufiicient size to provide for thelargest ball-s. By thus fitting the bottom of the block to the rails andbetween the rails the block will always maintain its crosswise positionon the rack. This stop is secured rigidly in adjusted position on therack by a center bolt 7 extending through the block and down between therails, and a crossbar 8 held by the lower end of the bolt against theunder side of the rails. The cross-bar is arched at 8 between its endsto fit between the rails so that it will always be maintained crosswiseof the rails. A wing nut 9 on the upper end of the bolt bears against awasher 10 on top of the block and istightened to lock the stop inadjusted position on the rack. Cushions 11 of rubber or other suitablematerialare fastened on both sides of the block, preferably, to preventengagement of the balls directly with the block.

The stop maybe adjusted and secured in any desired position on the rackand it will confine the travel of the balls on the rack to that portionin front of the stop. If

only two players are playing on the alley the balls will be stoppedclose to the front end of the rack convenient for the. players, and notime will be lost and no mistake will occur in selecting a ball to roll.If there are a number of balls on the rack, as is usually the case,those balls not being rolled will not be affected by a ball returning tov the rack from the ball return. The stop may also be used to separateone size ballsfrom those of another size when only one size is beingrolled;

I do not restrict myself to the particular construction of stop hereinshown and described although I have found in practice that this form isvery satisfactory for the purpose and can be used without injury to theballs or to the rack, but I reserve the right to make all such changesin the form and construction as fairly fall within the scope of the.following claims:

Iclaim:

1. The combination with a bowling alley ball rack comprising a pair ofse arated rails, of a stop 'block mounted on t e rack and shaped at itsbottom to fit upon and between the rails, and means for securing theblock rigidly in adjusted position on the rack.

2. The combination with a bowling alley 'ball rack comprising a pair ofseparated rails, of a stop block mounted on the rack and shaped at itsbottom to fit upon and between the rails, and means engaging said blockand said rails for securing the block rigidly in adjustedposition on therack.

3. The combination with a bowling alley ball rack comprising a pair ofseparated rails, of a stop blockmountedon the. rack and having aprojection at its bottom eX- tending down between the rails, and meansfor securing the block in adjusted position on the rac 4. Thecombination with a bowling alley ballrack comprising a pair of rails, ofa movable stop block resting on the rails, and means for securing theblock rigidly in adjusted position on the rack.

5. The combination with a bowling alley ball rack comprising a pair ofseparated rails, of a stop block having a projection at its bottomextending down and fitting snug- 1y between the rails and engaging therails on opposite sides of said projection, and

means for securing the block in adjusted position on" the rack.-

6. The combination with a bowling alley ball rack, of a stop block, across bar engaging the under side of the rack, a bolt extending throughthe block and the rack and engaging the cross bar, and a nut on theupper end of the bolt to tighten the bolt and secure the block inadjusted position on the rack.

7. The combination with a bowling alley ball rack comprising a pair ofseparated rails, of a stop block mounted on the rack and shaped at itsbottom to fit upon and between the rails, a cross bar arranged beneaththe rack and arched between its ends to it between the rails, and a boltextending through the block and engaging the arched part of the crossbar to secure the block in adjusted position on the rack.

AKSEL R. THOMPSON.

